Vehicle-spring.



PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905.

L. L. SH-EBDAN. VEHICLE SPRING. APPLIOATION FILED DEO.19, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

Application filed December 19, 1904. Serial No. 237,513.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, LEON L. SHEDDAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Fayetteville, in the county of Lincoln and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Springs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to buggy and other vehicle springs; and its primary object is to provide a cushioning device adapted to be secured to such springs to receive and dissipate the violent downward shock resulting in the compression and often breakage of the spring and as a consequence of the buggy or vehicle riding over uneven surfaces and of placing heavy articles in wagons, drays, and the like whereby all liability of the spring becoming broken from such course is obviated and the riding of the vehicle is made more comfort able and easy.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above-stated character which will permit the spring to which it is attached to return to its normal position Without interference after the shock is dissipated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, durable and efficient, and which is composed of few parts, so arranged and constructed as not to be liable to become broken or inop erative.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose thepreferred form of my invention, and in which Figure 1 is a rear view of a buggy to which the cushioning device is attached. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the bracket for securing the cushioning device to the upper bow of the spring. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the bracket for connecting the piston-rod to the lower bow of the spring. Fig. 6 is a side view of a fragmentary section of the wrist-pin and piston-rod, illustrating a modified form of the means for connecting the wrist-pin and piston-rod.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a body, 2 the axle, and 3 the rear wheels, of an ordinarily-constructed buggy. The body is adapted to be supported by means of ordinarily-constructed bow 'springs 4, which are interposed between the axles and runninggear of the vehicle. The cushioning means is adapted to be secured to the upper and lower bows of the springs in transverse relation to the springs, whereby the device is in position to receive and dissipate any shock which would otherwise be received by the springs The cushioning device comprises, broadly, a cylinder 5, having a piston-head 6 working therein, a piston-rod 7 connected to said piston-head, and brackets adapted to secure the device in applied position. inder 5 is closed at its upper end with the exception of openings through which lubricant may be inserted to lubricate the piston-head, and its lower end is provided with internallyarranged screw-threads for the reception of a screw-threaded flange 8. carried by a closureplate 9, whereby said closure-head is removably secured in applied position to permit of the piston-head being readily inserted in applied position and to permit of its removal when occasion requires. The closure-plate 9 is provided with a depending sleeve 10, forming a stufling-box through which the pistonrod extends and works, and said plate is also provided with openings 11, communicating with the lower end of the cylinder to prevent a vacuum being formed therein. The outer surface of the cylinder 5 is corrugated,

as shown at 12, to be engaged by similar cor rugations 13 upon the depending arms 14 of a bracket 15, said bracket comprising two substantially U-shaped members arranged at right angles to each other, the cross-pieces or body portions of said members being riveted or otherwise suitably fastened together, as shown in Fig. 4. The engagement of the corrugations of the arms and cylinder prevents the cylinder from sliding vertically from the bracket, and to prevent said arms from spreading laterally I pass a clamp 16 therearound. One of the arms 14 of the bracket 15 is pro vided with a horizontally-disposed attaching member 17, having its extremity provided with an upwardly-extending flange 18. The attaching member 17 is adapted to engage the under surface of the upper bow of the spring, while the edges of said spring engage the opposing faces of the flange 18 and arm 14 to prevent the bracket from swinging upon the bolt 19, which is adapted to pass through the attaching member and upper bow of the spring. It is apparent that this manner of attaching the cylinder to the upper bow of The cyl-- the spring is so positive that all liability of the cylinder having any movement in its applied position is obviated. The lower or free end of the piston-rod 7 is removably secured to a wrist-pin 20, which has an inverted-L- shaped bracket21 secured thereto. zontal member 22 of the bracket 21 is adapted to engage and be secured to the upper surface of the lower bow of the spring. and said member has its extremity bent downwardly to provide a flange 23 to engage the inner edge of said bow. The edges of this bow also engage the inner opposing faces of the flange 23 and vertical member of the bracket 21 to prevent the latter from having any movement in its applied position. The piston head 6 is provided with a dish-shaped packing 2 1, the

edges of which are adapted to firmly engage the inner surface of the cylinder to prevent the escape of air downward upon the upper stroke of the piston-head, whereby an aircushion may be created above the piston-head. The piston-head is provided with valve-openings 25, adapted to be normally closed by valves 26, hinged] y connected to the upper surface of the piston-head. These valves are adapted to close on the upward stroke of the piston-head to prevent the escape of air and are adapted to open on the downward stroke of the piston-head to permit air to enter the cylinder above the piston-head.

.The operation of the cushioning means may be described in the following manner: It is apparent that any downward shock will cause the bows of the spring 1 to approach each other, consequently causing the piston-head 6 to move upward within the cylinder 5. As the air above the piston-head cannot escape during the upward movement of the piston-head, an air-cushion is formed between the pistonhead and the upper end of the cylinder, thereby receiving the shock and dissipating the same before it can result in injury to the spring. After the shock has been dissipated by the air-cushion the bows of the spring are permitted to return to their normal positions without hindrance, this being permitted by virtue of the openings 11, which permit the piston-head to have a downward movement without air resistance, as all the air below the piston will rapidly pass out through the openings 11. As the downward movement of the piston-head will open the valves 26, the normal volume of air may always be retained above the piston-head.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings I have illustrated a modified form of the means for connecting the piston-rod and wrist-pin, and in this instance the extremity of the wrist-pin 20 is provided with an annular head 20, adjusted to be received by asocket in the lower end of the piston-rod 7, whereby a universal connection is made between the two members. The socket is formed by two plates 7, provided with semicircular depressions 7", each one of The horisaid plates being secured on opposite sides of the lower end of the piston-rod 7, so as to bring the depressions 7 in alinement.

It is apparent from the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, that the air-cushion will eflectuall y take up and dissipate any jar or shock, and thereby obviate all liability of the spring becoming injured therefrom, consequently not only adding life to the spring, but also making the riding of a vehicle easy and comfortable.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- 1. In a cushioning device for springs, a cylinder having its upper end closed and itslower end open and provided with eXteriorly-arranged corrugations, a bracket provided with corrugations and adapted to engage the firstnamed corrugations, means for securing said bracket to the upper portion of said spring, a piston-head movable in the cylinder whereby an air-cushion may be formed in the upper end of the latter, a piston-rod secured to said piston-head, and a bracket adapted to connect said piston-rod to the lower portion of said spring.

2. In a cushioning device for springs, a cylinder closed at its upper end and open at its lower end and provided with exteriorly-arranged corrugations, a bracket having arms provided with corrugations adapted to engage the first-named corrugations, one of said arms being provided with an attaching member, means for securing said attaching member to the upper portion of said spring, a clamp adapted to engage said arms to prevent them from having lateral movement, a piston-head movable in said cylinder whereby an air-cushion may be formed in the upper end of said cylinder, a piston-rod connected to said pistonhead, and means adapted to secure the pistonrod to the lower portion of said spring.

3. In a cushioning device for springs,a bowspring, a cylinder, a bracket secured to said cylinder and provided with an attaching member having a flange, the upper bow of said spring being adapted to be secured to said attaching member between the bracket and flange, a piston movable in said cylinder whereby an air-cushion may be formed in the upper end of the cylinder, a piston-rod secured to said piston-head, a wrist-pin connected to said piston-rod, and a bracket connected to said wrist-pin and provided with an attaching member having a flange, the lower bow of said spring being adapted to be secured to said last-named attaching member between said flange and bracket.

4. In a cushioning device for springs,a bowspring, a cylinder closed at its upper end and open at its lower end and provided with exteriorly-arranged corrugations, a bracket having arms provided with corrugations adapted to engage the first-named corrugations, one of said arms being provided with an attaching member having a flange, the upper bow of said spring being adapted to be secured to said attaching member between said flange and the arms, a clamp adapted to engage said arms to prevent them from having lateral movement, a piston-head movable in said cylinder'and provided with valves adapted to close on the upward stroke of the piston to form an air-cushion in the upper end of the cylinder and to open on the downward stroke of said piston-head, a piston-rod secured to said piston-head, a wrist-pin secured to said piston-rod, and a bracket secured to said wristpin and having an attaching member provided with a flange, the lower bow of said spring being adapted to be secured to said last-named attaching member between the bracket and said flange.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEON L. SHEDDAN. Witnesses:

H. W. HEYMANN, ERNEST REES. 

